Reds poised to sign Meireles

Liverpool are poised to complete the signing of
Portuguese international midfielder Raul Meireles from Porto as a
direct replacement for Javier Mascherano, who is joining
Barcelona.

The move represents something of a coup for the Reds, with
Meireles previously linked to Pep Guardiola's side, as well as
Manchester United and Inter Milan.

Meireles will be available for Stg10.7m. The 27-year-old only
has two years left on his Porto contract and the club wants to cash
in now rather than wait until the end of his deal, when he can
leave for nothing.

Roy Hodgson is hoping that he can sign the player before the
game against Birmingham City on September 12th.

Panionios fans destroy their own ground to stop AEK Athens
playing Dundee United there

Fans of Greek side Panionios were so infuriated when
they heard rivals AEK Athens were going to play a Europa League
clash with Dundee United at their stadium they vandalised their own
ground to stop the match going ahead.

AEK’s pitch has been recently relaid and was not playable in
time for tonight’s match. Panionios’s Nea Smyrni stadium was chosen
as a replacement, but unhappy supporters have successfully
sabotaged.

The match has now been moved again to avoid AEK being thrown out
of the competition.

The sides will now meet at Olympiakos’s Karaiskaki Stadium. But
because of crowd concerns, AEK fans are banned from attending.

So it has worked out pretty well for Terrors’ fans who still
didn’t know where the match would be played yesterday.

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho has warned French striker Karim
Benzema that he needs to change his attitude if he is to be a
success in Spain, according to sports daily Marca on Sunday.

The former Porto, Chelsea and Inter Milan coach was overheard
giving Benzema a wake-up call in training on Thursday.

"If it was just for you I would make training at midday because you
arrive at 10 o'clock half asleep and then by 11 you are already
sleeping again," Mourinho allegedly told Benzema in front of his
teammates.

According to Marca, this was not the first time that Mourinho has
had a go at Benzema.

Gunners agree Squillaci deal

A statement on the Sevilla website read:
"Defender
Sebastien Squillaci is
tonight travelling to London to have a medical at
Arsenal, the club
he will be transferred to after an agreement was reached by the two
clubs pending the results of the medical."